Hole in the wall, i.e. self organising systems in primary education by Dr. Mitra
The keynote speaker today was Professor Sugata Mitra from New Castle University. Otherwise known as a man who created the famous "Hole in the Wall" experiments in different parts of India.
What is it all about? Dr. Mitra explained a number of his experiments (total of 23) that he has run in 1999-2004 in different areas of India where unprivileged children, usually from the slums or small villages, were given a possibility and access to computers and the Internet.
Without any formal explanation or teaching from adults, these kids were able to teach themselves the rudimentary skills to use the Internet, access programmes and games on these computers, but also acquire skills in math or biology and languages (e.g. English to understand what is going on the Web).
He left the audience with the question "How far can we go?" and reminds that education should not isolate children from another to learn together.
Link: http://www.hole-in-the-wall.com/
Wikipedia entry about Dr. Mitra:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugata_Mitra
Posteed by Riina Vuorikari from EUN